US2266272A - Wave driven prime mover - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16,` 1941. l. RuDl-:RMAN

WAVE DRIVEN PRIME MOVER Filed June 11, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. wL/DE l? MA N llllll` ATTORNEY.

` Dec. 16, 194i. l. RUDERMAN 2,266,272

WAVE DRIVEN PRIME MOVER Filed June 1l, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' ATTORNEY.

Der 1611941. ll. RUDERMAN WAVE DRIVEN PRIME MOVER Filduune .11, 19:58 :s sheets-sheet s zNVENToR.

/sooR'E RUDER AN BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES AT T f GFF-ICE 2,266,272 f 'Y i WAVE nRrvEN. PRIME Movnn Isadore Ruderman, ySan Francisco, Calif.' j Applica-inname 11, 1938 sentirne. 213,246;

3 Claims. (Cl. 253-12) This invention relates to a wave driven prime mover.

An object of' the invention isv to provide a mechanism whereby the ebb and tide of the waves or swells, or any force of' a moving body of water in alternate directions can be utilized to an eicient degree for driving a prime mover; the resultant motion being continuously and evenly transmitted to driven'mechanism, such as for the direct drive of machinery, or to electric generators and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism in which reciprocating motion is imparted to an impact receiving element by the impact andv ow or alternate swell of`waves and the like, the said impact receiving elements being guided so as to move on a path converging toward the bottom of the body of water at about an angle corresponding to the average change of' depth of the. body of water so as to. continuously receive the full forces of the waves, meansbeing provided to convert the reciprocating motion of this impact receiving element to a rotary motion of a mechanism for the driving of machines,I such as electric generators and the like.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a Wave driven. mechanismI which is adapted to be used in multiple units side by side in any suitable number along the beach of a. body of water so. as to be driven by themovement of the waves in alternate opposite directions; said units being so connected toa common. driven mechanism as to impart rotary movement to ar drive shaft in the same direction. without interference of one unit with the operation of the other units.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangementsv and combinations of the several devices and. parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof withinY the scope of the present. invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined inthe following claims; hence I do not limit. my invention tothe exact arrangements and combinations of the said device'and parts as described in. the said speciiication, nor do I conne myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the-followingdetailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference isv hadto the accompanying. drawings for theillustrative embodiment of theV invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is afragmentalsectional .side view ofv a wave driven mechanism. constructedv in accordance. .with my invention, the section. being.' taken substantially on IinesIF-.loi-Fig. 2. Fig. 2 .is a fragmental, frontvicw ofmy wave driven mechanism, Ypartly in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental. sectional view of a suspension head for the impact receiving element.

Fig.. 4" isa iragmental sectional view of an. illustrative drivetransmission of my device.

Fig. 5 is .a fragmental view of a modified. form of my wave; driven mechanism..

Fig..6: is a sectional view., takenon lines. 6-6 of Fig.. 7... i

Fig..'7 .is aV sectionalview, takenon.- lines l-'l of Fig. 5, and A 1 Fig. 8. is a sectional viewtaken on lines.8-8.of Fi'g;.7.

In its. general organization. my device includes aiplurality of cooperating units, each unit being. constructed in the same manner but-in conformance ywith the respective shore or vbeachA conditions immediately at the respective units. All the units are connected to a y common. .driven mechanism and work on the same continuously. Allthese units are sidebyside along a suitable lengthof the shore uor beach and preferably follow theshore line. Each` unit extends into the water oppositely tof Vthe l waivesand each unit works on a plurality-ofdriven'mechanisms to be operated successively' at different strokes created by the varying height and natureof the swells or waves.- The stroke in eachunit ison a pathsubstanti'ally convergent with the bottom of the beach towardthe shore at a degree about corre sponding' withA the average gradual shallowing of the waves as they usuallyv spread toward the shore.

In carryingout my inventionl make use of a frame Work 'l which extends from the shore into the Vbody of waterpreferably to a point about where the outermost breaker line occurs normally. The frame workl has parallel channels 8 which. have their openslots 9 pointing' toward each other in pairs. |T-hese channelsv 8. are arranged at the aforesaid converging angle rela.- tively to theseaor'lake' bottom. In each facing pair of channelsis guided a floating Vane H by means of grooved wheels I2 which latter are run on triangular tracks I3 longitudinally in the channels 8. The wheels I2:are journaled-on vstub shafts ill, one extended fromv each end of the floating vane H through the adjacent slot 9 and into thev channelr 8; Each vane Hv is. preferably made of a' .steel or other hard casing or jacket which incloses a hollow space filled with a light and buoyant material VsuchV as cork filling ILE?.

Each vane Il is so proportioned as to present a comparatively large surface preferably its largest surface, in the path of the waves substantially at right angles to the sea bottom thereat.

Each vane |I is guided and suspended on upwardly extended arms I1 each of which has a Suspension head I8 on the top slidably held in upper rails |9 which latter are inside of and above but are parallel with the channels 8. In order to prevent binding and reduce friction a suitable number of rollers 2| are mounted on each head, distributed both forwardly and rearwardly of the arms I1 to take up the torque with minimum friction in either direction. The rollers 2| are substantially parallel with the vane I| and are located both under and above the transverse suspension head I8. The upper rails I8 are connected to each other at suitable intervals by substantial cross braces 22 and are supported by substantial columns 23 on the frame 1. Thus substantially true alignment of the vane is assured when moved bythe action of the waves.

Along the top rails I9 are journalled aligned gear-wheels 24. A gear-rack 26 is mounted on the top of the vane II near one of the channels 8 and is guided by roller guides 21 on the top of the adjacent channel 8 so as to travel parallel with the channel 8 as the vane is reciprocated by wave action. The gear-rack 28 is .aligned with the row of gear-wheels 24 and is preferably of such length as to rotate at least two successive gear-wheels 24 at all times as it is carried along successively from gear-wheel24 to gear-wheel 24 by the vane The rotation of the gear-wheels 24 may be transmitted in any suitable manner so as to be converted from intermittent alternately opposite movement into a substantially continuous one way rotation. For instance in the herein illustration there is extended a continuous driven shaft 28 above and parallel with the shaft of each gear-wheel 24. This driven shaft 28 is journalled in brackets 29 suitably extended from the frame 1 so as to support the driven shaft 28 along all the units. It is to be noted that the rows of gear-wheels 24 of each unit are so arranged andY spaced that the gear-wheels 24 of the adjacent units are also aligned transversely below the same driven shaft 28.

There is a transmission onthe driven shaft 28 opposite each gear wheel 24. The transmissions may include any suitable clutches, or transmission or differential mechanisms and they may be so made as to either transmit power from the shore-ward stroke of the vane or to transmit power also during the return stroke of the vane II. Rotation of the driven shaft 28 is then transmitted by suitable transmission such as the belt transmission 30 to a machine or electric generator or the like mechanism, not shown, where the same is put to useful application.

In the herein illustrative embodiment each gear wheel 24 is in mesh with a gear 3| on the shaft 28. A hub 32 of the gear 3| has a spring pressed ratchet pawl 33 to engage a ratchet wheel 34 which latter is keyed on the driven shaft 28. When the vane I I is moved by the waves toward the shore then the gear 3| is rotated in a contra-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 4, and thus transmits rotation to the driven shaft 28. On the other hand upon the return or rearward stroke of the vane the pawl 33 slides over the ratchet wheel 34 without engaging the same.

In the embodiment of the devices shown in Figures to 8, I illustrate a manner in which the return stroke of the vane may be also utilized for power purposes. This arrangement is particularly necessary in instances where the return movement of the vane as caused by its gravity and by suction of the waves develops sufficient force to be utilized. In this form of my device another hollow hub 36 is extended from the gear 3| oppositely to the rst hollow hub 32. In this hollow hub 36 is a spring pressed pawl 31 for engaging a toothed ratchet wheel 38 on a sleeve-or tube 39 which extends from a gear wheel 4| journalled on antifriction bearings 42 on the driven shaft 28. 'Ihe pawl 31 and ratchet wheel 38 catch oppositely to the first pawl 33 and ratchet wheel 34, so that the second or Ieverse pawl 31 and ratchet wheel 38 are in driving connection during the return movement of the vane and idle or slide during the shore-ward movement of the vane This last described reverse movement may be transmitted separately but it is preferable to transmit the same to the same driven shaft 28. For this purpose the gear wheel 4| is provided with internal gear teeth 43. From the fixed shaft bearing' bracket 29 are extended diametrically opposite arms 44 outwardly and toward the gear wheel 4| and on the ends of each arm 44 is journaled an idler gear 46 in mesh with the internal gear teeth 43. The idler gears 46 are also in mesh with a central gear 41 which latter carries a pawl 48 for engagement with a ratchet wheel 49 keyed to the driven shaft 28, so as to transmit rotation in the same direction as the first pawl 33 and ratchet wheel 34. Thus the reverse 'rotation caused by the return movement of the vane :Il is converted into rotative force in the same direction as the direct rotation of the driven shaft 28.

In operation the'waves or swells strike the vane and push it along between the channels 8 While the rails 9 and suspension heads I8 and rollers 2| hold the vane in position in the path of the wave' throughout its stroke. During the reciprocation of the vane the gear rack 26 rotates successively as many gear-wheels 24 as it comes in contact with depending onrthe length of thewave or swell or breaker. The rotation is transmitted in the aforedescribed manner from each gear-wheel 24 to the driven shafts 28 which latter'transmit it to the respective belt transmission 32 by which latter in turn the power and rotation is transmitted where the same is to be utilized. Each row of aligned gear-wheels 24 of the series of units works on the same driven shaft 28, so that the cumulative action of the series of vanes is imparted for continuous operation regardless of the variations in the length or regularity of the wave motion. The prime mover herein described can be arranged flatly and used on shallow beaches and shores even where the tides are usually low, and it is flexible so as to be readily adaptable to the contour of the sea or water bottom and of the shore line. It can be lmade up in units suitable` for the desired power to be developed. The entire device can be coveredl or housed if so desired and is easily adaptable to the-large variety of existing local conditions and requirements.

I claim: Y

1.InV combination, a frame, parallel'guides thereon extended along the bottom of a body of water at an angle to the direction of the horlzontal plane of the wave and convergent with the bottom toward shore, a vane positioned on said guides so astd receive the impact of the waves and be reciprocated'along said guides by the comme waves, means of connection between said vane and said guides to confine the path of vane movement to reciprocation at a constant angle relatively to the bottom of the body of Water, and means to convert and transmit the motion of the vane.

2. In combination, a frame, parallel guides thereon extended along the bottom of a body of water at an angle to the direction of the horizontal plane of the Wave and convergent with the bottom toward shore, a vane positioned on said guides so as to receive the impact of the waves and be reciprocated along said guides by the waves, means to convert and transmit the motion of the vane, means of connection between said vane and said guides to conne the path of vane movement to reciprocation at a Cil constant angle relatively to the bottom of the body of water, and means of connection between the guides and the vane to hold the vane at a constant angle relatively to said guides.

3. In combination, a frame, parallel guides thereon extended along the bottom of a body of Water at an angle to the direction of the horizontal plane of the wave, a vane positioned on said guides so as to receive the impact of the Waves and be reciprocated along said guides by the Waves, means to convert and transmit the motion of the vane, overhead suspension means for the vane for reciprocable suspending the vane, and means connected to said suspension means to prevent the twisting of said vane from the path of the wave.

ISADORE RUDERMAN.

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